ginesi



3 Sheets-Sheet. 1.

(No Mode l.)

C. GINESI. LETTER BOX.

Patented July 12, 1881.

ATTORNEYS N. PETERS. Fholo-Ukhugnpher. Wilmington. n. c.

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2..

G. GINESI. LETTER BOX.

No. 244,227. Patented July 12,'1881.'

Jay/2% ATTORNEYS N. PETERS Pholo-Lflhngnphcr, Washington. 0 c4 3SheetsSheet 3.v

(No Model.)

0. GINESI." LETTER BOX.

Patented July 12,1881.

ATTORNEYS N. PETERS, Pholo-Liihngraphor. Washington. D. c

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

OASIMIRO GINESI, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

LETTER-BOX.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 244,227, dated July 12,1881.

Application filed May 2, 1881. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, GAsIMIRo GINEsI, acitizen of the United States, resident at Washington, in'the county oflVashington, District of Columbia, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Letter-Boxes; and I do hereby declare the following tobe a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as willenable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and usethe same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and toletters or figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part ofthis specification.

Figure 1 represents a front view of the box and bag attached, the lidsof the recesses open. Fig. 2 is a transverse section. Fig. 3 isalongitudinal section of part. Fig. 4 is a bottom view of the box. Fig.5 is a top view of the bag, key-stud in section Fig. 6, enlarged frontof bag, parts broken away; Figs. 7 and 8, views of the lock; Fig. 9, theguard; Fig. 10, enlarged detail; Fig. 11, the dial; Figs. 12 and 13,key-catches; Fig. 14, enlarged section.

This invention relates to improvements in mail-boxes.

The object of the invention is the production of a device whereby thecarrier is prevented from tampering with the mail-matter and the time ofcollection indicated, the latter forming a detecter.

To these ends the invention consists in a box of peculiar construction,and in combination therewith a bag having certain features, all ashereinafter fully set forth.

In the annexed drawings, the letter an indicates a mail-box of anydesirable shape and size, the ordinary curved-top one being preferable,having the bottom open, as at b. To the rear side of this opening b aresecured two parallel strips of metal, 0 0, having a narrower one, 0,between their outer edges, leaving a space, 0 between their inner ones,said strips thus forming a guideway; or a single piece of metal having aguide-groove on its inner edge may be used.

Fastened to the front side of opening bis a casing, d, flush with thebottom, and having the deep securing-flange d extending into the box. Onits inner face this casing has secured to it the two parallellongitudinal flanges e e, forming a groove or space, a, in the plane ofgroove or space 0 on the opposite side, the inner flange, 0', having twoangular notches, 0 c At these notches the casingd is provided withangular perforations c 0 extending from flange 0 across groove 6 andbeyond flange e, as shown at 6 Seated in casing 01 about mid-length is alock, f, the catches f f of which project through the perforations e c.This casing d has the projecting lip g, which bears against the frame ofthe box a, and within said lip there is formed in the casing thekey-holeg for the locking, there being a notch, 9 for admission to said hole.Hinged to one side of this notch is the guard h, to which is pivoted aslide-rod, h, whichpasses lengthwise through casin g d, and, projectingbeyond, has the catch-head k havin g the bevel h toward the edge of thebottom,

to which the casing is fastened, said rod having a spring, which keepsthe rod thrown out and the guard down. This head 762 isturned down at anangle to the stem of the rod, and secured to the bottom of the box atthe ends are flanges 70 7a, the former in the plane of the head 72?,forming guide-grooves 70 or said grooves may be simply scored in theends of the box, which extend far enough down for that purpose.

In one end of the box, preferably that away from the catch-head W, ismade a transverse slit, 1, leading into the opening I) on a line withgrooves c 6 This slit is faced with a strip of metal, m, havingregistering-slit m and depending flange m parallel to the flange 70, butspaced therefrom at m therebeing a corresponding strip, m, at the other,spaced at m from flange 7c. Passing through these slits is a plate, at,having inside the box a the depending lip n, and outside the upturnedcatch "n This plate has secured upon its 'upper face, at one edge, thethree bars a, with spaces a between each two, said plate being the widthof the opening I), and its edges coming in the grooves 0 0 the spaces nregistering with perforations 6 when the plate is in place, which thusforms the bottomofthe box,

on which plate the mail-matter rests,the catches f f hooking in spacesof, holding the plate securely in place.

On each side of notch 9 there are secured to the bottom edge of the boxtwo bearing-plates, o and p, in which are pivoted lids q and 1, whichare provided with guide-lugs q r, catches IOO 1' springs g 1' and closeopenings 8 and t in the side of the box, which said openings lead intorecesses s t.

Forming a part of lockf is a bar, 9, running lengthwise of easing d, andhaving a hooked end, 12 coming into recess 3, and a straight tongue, 12into recess t, in which latter recess is a plate, 23 having notch tacross which notch the tongue extends, being held out by the spring inthe bar 19.

In recess 8 is secured a spring, 8 having a notched swinging head, 8 theposition of this head and that of notch i being such as to engage thecatches on the lids q and a". The bar p, when in a locked position, hasits hook 10 and tongue 19 also in position to engage the catches, andwhen it is in this position and the lids are closed spring .9 is forcedback and the catch Q2 is held between said spring and the hook 19 andcatch r forces tongue 19 against its spring of bar 1) untilthecatch-head passes, when the spring throws the tongue into engagement.This bar 12, as stated, is a part of the device of the lock, and whenthe latter is opened, so as to release catches f from spaces a, the saidbar is shot, releasing the lids and allowing their springs g 1' to throwthem open.

In recess 8 is placed a key, 8 the use of which will be hereinafterexplained, held by a chain, 8 preferably fastened to the lid q.

In recess t is placed a dial, having on its face the hours and partsthereof, arranged so that only a portion is to be shown at one time,such dial to be movable, so as to bring into the field the desirednumber. This dial may also have any proper legend-such as Time for nextmail, or Carrier will call -arran ged so as to come at-the exposednumber. The lid to this recess should be transparent, so that the dialcan be seen from the outside. This operates as a detecter, for thecarrier is to change the number for the next round each time he emptiesthe box, and if the time of inspection be later than that 011 the dialit will indicate that the carrier has failed in his duty. In this wayany depositor can tell when his letter or package is to be taken out,and also whether, after deposit, it has been taken out at the propertime.

u represents the bag to be carried by the carrier for emptying the boxdescribed. This bag is secured to a metallic frame, a, of a sizecorresponding to the bottom of box a, which said frame has at each endthe flanges u ,forming guide-grooves a open atone end and having stopsat at the other, one groove having the bevel-tongue a. The sides and oneend of this frame have guide-grooves a u", and the other end has theslot a in the plane of these grooves. Passing through this slot 26 andinto the grooves 20 a is a cover-plate, o, having inside lip, '0,outside catch, '0 and edge bar, '0 with space v.

To one side of the frame at is secured a spring-lock, 'w, the catch ofwhich, w ,engages in space 4% of bar a the key contained in recess 8being for this look and adapted to the hole 10 No other key except themaster-key kept at the office can open the bag.

' At the key-hole 10 there is formed on the frame a a lug, w,corresponding to notch 9 having the outwardly-projecting hollow stud 00,through which and the lug 00 passes a key, y, having handle y outsideand wards y inside, said key being surrounded by a spring, 1 inside ofstud 00, which tends to force the key inward. It will be seen that bythis construction the key of the box is secured to the bag and that ofthe bag to the box; hence to separate the two parts the keys must beremoved from their respective locks. This,however, must not be alloweduntil the slides are in, so that the keys may not be removed until thereceptacles are securely closed.

In Figs. 12 and 13 are shown locking-dogs for catching the keys,preventing the movement of the latter until the slides are in position,when such dogs are held olf and the keys loosened.

a is a lever, the head b of which projects through slot a into theinterior of the box in the end of groove 0 said rod being operated by aspring, p. This rod a engages the heel g of an elbow-lever, r, the head8 of which is adapted to catch the key 3 As soon as catches f arewithdrawn from notches n and the slide n is withdrawn the spring 12throws the head 8 so as to clutch the key y, which will be kept helduntil the slide a is shoved home, when the inner end of the end bar, nstriking head b will release the elbow-lever from the key 11 when thelatter can be turned to be taken out but this looks the slide at.

a is a dog pivoted in look w, and held in by spring 3 to engage key 8This dog is thrown ofl by the beveled lug 3 on the slide '0 bearing onthe beveled heel m of said dog, which happens when the slide is inposition. When the slide is withdrawn the dog is released and catchesthe key.

When the box a is to be emptied the frame a is slipped onto the bottom,the flanges u engaging the flanges k k, and when the bevel it? strikesthe head h the guard h is swung up and the wards y of key 3 enter thelock f. As this look f is unlocked the catches f f are withdrawn fromspaces a, loosening the bottom plate, a, and the bar 11 is shot, lids sand t falling. This exposes key a, by which the lock to is unlocked,which loosens the top plate, 27,

when both plates can be drawn out, and the mail-matter will drop intothe bag. For convenience in handling, it is better that the plate 41 ofthe bag should come out at the side opposite to that of the plate n. Asthe plates are drawn out the keys are caught as before described. Whenthe exchange of mail-matter is made the slides are returned, the dialchanged for the next trip, locks fastened, andthe parts separated.

The lid 7 need not be made to be opened, and the dial will be madeautomatic, as shown in Fig. 11, where it is operated by a pawl, t",attached to the slider-bar 10 This device is applicable not only tomailboxes, but also to money-boxes in cars, &c.

I claim 1. A delivery-box having a sliding bottom, in combination with adetachable bag or receiver having a sliding top, and mechanism,substantially as described, whereby the one is enabled to act on theother, as set forth.

2. A delivery-box having a recess for hold in g the key of the bag,another recess having a dial, and a lock, whereby both recesses aresimultaneously opened.

3. A delivery-box and receiving-bag, each having the key of the other,and aclosing-slide, in combination with means, substantially asdescribed, whereby the keys cannotbe released until the slides are inposition, as set forth.

4. Adelivery-box having a pivoted key-hole 2o guard, in combination witha bag adapted to the box, and means, substantially as described, formoving the guard to admit a key attached to the bag, as set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature 2 5 in presence of twowitnesses.

GASIMIRO GINESI.

Witnesses:

THEO. MUNGEN, H. H. SINGLETON.

